1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a nursing pillow having a strap to keep a baby from rolling off during nursing.
2. The Prior Art
While nursing an infant, the mother""s arms and back can often become sore due to holding the infant in an awkward position for prolonged periods of time. There have been many different devices that have been developed to make nursing more comfortable for both the mother and infant.
One of the most common devices is a nursing pillow. This pillow is generally U- or C-shaped and fits around the mother""s waist. The infant then lies across the pillow during nursing. The pillow supports the infant""s weight, thus relieving stress on the mother""s back and arms.
While these pillows have been helpful, the infant is not secured to the pillow and can roll off of the pillow if the mother inadvertently lets go of the infant during nursing. This can be especially risky during feedings in the middle of the night, when the mother may fall asleep during nursing.
Another drawback of the common nursing pillow is its large width. Many nursing pillows are so wide that it becomes impossible for the wearer to sit in a conventional armchair or rocker while wearing the pillow.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a nursing pillow that prevents the baby from rolling off during nursing.
It is another object of the invention to provide a nursing pillow that has a narrow profile to enable the wearer to sit in narrow chairs.
These and other objects of the invention are accomplished by a support pillow comprising a generally U-shaped base having two free ends, a top surface and a bottom surface, and an infant securing strap attached at one end to the bottom surface of the base. The strap is adapted to be wrapped over an infant resting on the top surface of the base. The free end of the strap is removably securable on the base to secure the infant on the base during nursing. In an alternative embodiment, the strap is a two-part strap, each part of the strap being secured at one end to the base. The other end of each part is securable to each other to keep the infant secured to the base. This is especially useful late at night when the mother and/or the infant may fall asleep during nursing.
The free end is preferably securable to the base or to the other part of the strap in the two-part variation via a hook-and loop type fastener such as Velcro(copyright). Other types of fasteners, such as snaps, hooks, etc, could also be used. The hook and loop fastener preferably comprises a strip of fastener across the free end of the strap and two strips of fastener along the base. The two strips are positioned perpendicular to the strip on the free end, so that the strap can be attached to the base along a defined area to accommodate infants of different sizes.
The strap is preferably made of a breathable mesh fabric so that the infant can breathe through it in the event that the infants head may slip under the strap. The base is preferably made of a fabric shell filled with a soft filler. However, other arrangements could be used as well, such as a solid foam base.
The two ends of the base are preferably attachable to each other via a buckle. Other attachment devices could also be used, such as tying the ends together, a button, a hook, etc.
The top surface of the base is slanted so that when the pillow is worn around the waist of the mother the infant is tilted so that its head faces the mother, placing it in an optimal position for nursing. The base has a larger cross section in a central area than at its two ends so that the ends are easily deformed to wrap around the waist of the mother. The central area is preferably wide and thick, to provide ample room for supporting the infant and to raise the infant to a sufficient height so as to enable nursing without elevation by the mother""s arms.
The nursing pillow according to the invention provides a safe, comfortable environment for nursing an infant. It is simple to use and comfortable to wear.